Counting device



June 6, 1939- A. s. McDONNELL COUNTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 24, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l WMW June 6, 1939. 5 MCDONNELL 2,161,630

COUNT ING DEVICE Filed Nov. 24, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 6, 1939.

A. S, M DONNELL COUNTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 24, 19:57 :5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 14 Claims.

This invention relates to novel improvements in a counting device.

One of the main objects of this invention is to provide a counting device which is more particularly adapted to be used as a predetermined counter to count the predetermined number of operations of a machine to which attached, and will then give a signal, and will also throw the switch of the driving motor to stop the machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a counting device which will function as a predetermined counter, and is also adapted to be used as a customary progressive counter to simply indicate the continued operations of the machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple and durable counting device which can be made entirely without springs likely to get out of order, but will utilize the force of gravity for actuating its pawls and levers and movable mechanisms.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a counting device which is simple and rugged in construction, to render it economical in manufacture; is accurate and reliable and constantly dependable in action; is easily reset and is readily manipulated; and has ample range and capacity for ordinary purposes, altho small and compact, to adapt it for all general purposes, as for printing presses, punch presses, duplicators, mimeographs and similar machines.

These and various other objects and advantages are attained with this invention, as will become apparent from the following description,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention in its preferred form of construction, it being apparent that various other arrangements and forms may be resorted to for carrying out the objects and purposes of this invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. '1 is a front elevational view of a counting device embodying my invention, in its preferred form of construction.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view thereof, with the cover plate removed, shown on a slightly larger scale than in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the resetting knob.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View thru the housing, taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 2, between the ratchet disks.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view thru the housing, taken substantially on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a partial vertical sectional view, showing the parts in position when the counter wheels have advanced to place their trip channels in coinciding position, and the trip fingers are ready to drop into the channels. 5

Fig.'8 is a vertical sectional view, showing the mechanism in the succeeding position, at the completion of a predetermined count, with the trip arm descended, the signal sounded, and the electric switch swung to its open or inoperative 10 position.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail sectional view, taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken on line Ill-I0 of Fig. 3. 15

, Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the curved resetting link.

Fig. 12 is a partial sectional view, showing the trip arm and associated parts retracted ready to make the next count selection. 20

Fig. 13 is a partial sectional view, taken on line i3-l3 of Fig. 12.

In the drawings my invention is illustrated in its preferred form of construction comprising a casing or housing 20 having a removable cover 5 plate 2| on the front provided with an inwardly depressed portion 2!; while a stud 22 extends rearwardly centrally from the rear wall of the housing. Perforated ears 23 are provided on the housing for mounting it upright on a machine, 30 indicated at 24, with which it is intended to be used for counting the movements or operations thereof. When the predetermined count has been reached it will actuate a signal means 25, which is herein shown in the form of a bell pro- 35 viding an audible sound; and it will also actuate a switch 26 for opening the current-supplying circuit, to stop the driving motor.

In the present invention I use channeled wheel means, being preferably in the form of ratchet 40 disk means provided with side channel means and cooperating trip means, adapted to be preset for making the desired count; and I further provide the same with dial and pointer means utilized in presetting the device. The number 45 of channeled wheels or disks best suited for the particular counting device depends largely on the number of movements or operations of the associated machine desired to be counted by the device. For counting only a few hundred movements of 50 the machine one channeled disk will suffice to function as the disk means; but when the movements or counts extend to several thousand, there it is preferred that the disk means comprise a pair of cooperating channeled disks; and when 55 the count is to extend to a million or more, then three or more channeled disks may be preferred, to retain the device small and compact.

The counting device illustrated herein, by Way of example, is adapted and arranged for counting up to ten thousand one hundred operations of the machine to which it is attached, and for that reason the disk means shown herein preferably consists of a pair of cooperating channeled disks, the front disk 30 and the rear disk 3|. The front disk 38 has a pointed boss or stud 32 on its face, to be engaged for turning the disk on the axle or bearing 33 which extends forwardly centrally from the rear disk 3|, while said axle with the rear disk is rotatable on a pivot rod 34 secured in the rear stud 22, as best shown in Fig. 10, and is manipulated by a knurled knob 35 threaded on the front end of axle 33.

For the purpose of actuating the disks 30 and 3| they are provided respectively with peripheral teeth 36 and 31, the front disk 30 being provided with 100 peripheral teeth, and the rear disk 3| being provided with 101 peripheral teeth. An operating pawl 38 and a holding pawl 39 are ar ranged to engage and to rest on both sets of teeth 36 and 31. The pawl 38 is pivoted by a pin 46 on the lower end of a pawl carrying plate 4| provided on the forward end of an operating shaft 42 which is journalled in a hub 43 on the rear of housing 20, as best shown in Fig. 9, and is actuated by a lever 44 secured on said shaft and operated thru a link 45 which is adjustably attached to said lever, as for example, by a set of openings and a pin, as shown in Fig. 1, for regulating the throw of the lever, a weighted arm 46 extending from the lever to return it to its initial position. The pawl 39 is pivoted by a pin 41 at the front of plate 4|, slightly above pawl 38, said pin being centered on the axis of oscillation of shaft 42. A guard plate 48 is mounted in the housing 20 to retain the pawls in position on their pivot pins, and has a guard finger 49 extending upwards therefrom.

A dial 50 is provided on the front of disk 30, and a hundreds indicating hand or pointer 5| is secured by the knob 35 on axle 33. This pointer is movable over the inner circular hundreds indicating means or scale 52, which is shown divided in 101 spaces, having a series of numbers 53 placed inwardly of said divided means 52 and progressing in the direction of operative rotation of the dial, being in this illustrated form in a clockwise direction, these numbers representing the thousands of operations and each division representing one hundred, this series of numbers being utilized in setting the device as a predetermined counter, and the hand 5| moving retrogressively over the numbers during operation of the device. Another series of numbers: ,54) is placed outwardly of said means 52 and progresses in counter-clockwise direction or contra to the series 53, these numbers being utilized when the device is used as an ordinary progressive counter. An outer units indicating means or scale 55 is provided on the dial, being divided into 100 spaces, each of the: spaces indicating a single to-and-fro movement of the lever 44 and completed cycle of the attached machine. A stationary pointer 56 is secured on the depressed part 2| of front plate 2|, adapted to cooperate with a series of numbers 51 placed inwardly of said divided means 55 and progressing in this illustrated device in a clockwise direction, they being used when setting the device for making the predetermined count, and pass retrogressively under the units pointer 56 during operation. This scale is also provided with a series of numbers 58 placed outwardly of said means 55 and progressing in counter-clockwise direction, and being utilized when the device is used as a progressive counter.

The control mechanism for effecting the predetermined count comprises a pair of channel means 68 and 6| provided on the adjoining faces of disks 33 and 3|, respectively, and a trip arm 62 secured by a pin 63 firmly to the forward or inner end of a trip shaft 64 journaled in a hub 65 extending from the rear wall of housing 28. A pair of trip fingers 66 extend laterally from the inner end of arm 62, and are normally adapted to ride on a pair of cylindrical flanges or rims 68 and 69 extending toward each other from the adjoining faces of disks 38 and 3|, respectively. Said flanges 6B and 69 have openings 10 and Ti therein which provide entrance gates to the channels 60 and 6|, respectively; and these channels and gates are arranged to be brought into registry and coincide when both pointers 5| and 56 are located at zero, so that the fingers 66 can drop under the influence of gravity from the flanges 58 and 69 thru the gates it! and H into the channels 60 and 6|, as best indicated by Figs. 7 and 8.

A weight 73 is pivoted at an upper corner by a pivot pin 14 in the housing, and the trip arm 62 bears under a supporting pin 75 extending forwardly on the weight, thereby normally holding the weight in its retracted position near the end wall of the housing, as shown in Fig. 5. As the trip arm drops, it allows pin Hi to descend, and the weight l3 then swings toward axle 33 at the center of the housing, as best seen in. Fig. 8. A pawl-release rod 16, which extends from the pivot corner of the weight, then bears under a pin 11 on the side of the operating pawl 38, thereby raising it against the over-hanging holding pawl 39 and raising the two pawls clear from the teeth, as best shown in Fig. 8.

In the meantime the electric switch 26 is actuated, which is herein shown in the form of a well known mercury switch, being mounted on a swingable arm l8 secured on trip shaft 64, said switch being opened by the dropping of the trip arm 62, as indicated in. Fig. 8, to break the power supplying circuit 19 of the motor (not shown), and stop the operation thereof.

The signal means 25 is herein shown in the form of an audible signal and is illustrated as a bell mounted on the housing, including a bellhammer 88 mounted by a rod 8| on switch arm 78, adapted to ring the bell when the trip arm 62 descends. A stop arm 82 engages under rod 8| and prevents the descended bell-hammer from resting dead on the bell or mufiiing the ringing thereof.

For the purpose of returning the trip arm and weight and pawls to their initial position and resetting the mechanism ready for the next count, a curved link 83 is provided, as illustrated in Fig. 11, which contains a slot 84 in its lower end wherein operates a pin 85 secured on the side of trip arm 62. A knurled resetting knob 86, best illustrated in Fig. l, is pivoted by a pin 8'! ontoa boss 88 which extends inward from the rear housing wall; while a lifting pin 89 on a head 98 which is provided on the inner end of knob 83, engages in an opening 9| in the upper end of link 83. When knob 86 is turned in a clockwise direction this link 83 is thereby lifted and with it are raised the trip arm 62 and the weight 73, from the descended or operated position shown in Fig.

8, to the reset and succeeding initial position shown in Fig. 12.

It should be noted that in this preset or initial position, as shown in Fig. 12, the lefting pin 89 has passed slightly beyond the center-line eX- tended thru pivot pin 31 in knob 86 and thru pin in slot 84, thereby safely retaining the movable parts in such preset position, whereby the trip fingers es are held clear from gates l0 and H on channels 69 and 6|, to prevent the fingers from dropping into the channels until the device is actuated by the start of the next counting operation.

Means is provided herein to release the raised link 83 from its holding or looking position, with the beginning of the next counting operation, and this means comprises a bar 94 having an inturned end 95 pivotally engaging in the upper end of the pawl-carrying plate 5!, said bar being held in place by the guard finger 19 on guard plate 48. The other end of the bar is movable on a ledge 96 on boss 38, and contains a front notched part 9? wherein the upper end of the curved link 83 rests when it is raised, as shown in Fig. 12.

,Upon the first counter-clockwise movement of lever 44, and therewith of plate M for actuating the operating pawl 38 at the lower end of the plate, said bar 94 will be moved towards the left as viewed in the drawings, and the upper end of curved link 33 will thereby be drawn from its raised and locked position, as shown in Fig. 12, to its active position, as shown in Fig. 3. This enables the trip fingers 66 again to engage and ride upon the cylindrical fianges E8 and 89 of the disks 39 and 3! during the counting operation.

This device is also adapted to be used as an ordinary progressive counter, and for that purpose a set screw 98 is placed in sleeve 65 to secure trip shaft 6d therein and hold trip arm 62 with fingers 66 and weight 13 in the retracted elevated position, as seen in Fig. 12, and the two series of numbers 54 and 58 will then be read with the aid of the pointers, in using the device as an ordinary progressive counter.

I claim:

1. A predetermining counting device for counting the operations of a machine, comprising wheel means carrying channel means adapted to coincide upon completion of the predetermined count, operating means provided with elements for engaging and actuating said wheel means, trip means including finger means movable into said channel means upon completion of the predetermined count, means rendered operative by the operating trip means to release the elements from the wheel means, and means for placing the parts in a selected position.

2. A counting device comprising an operating member, wheel means provided on their faces with channel means adapted to coincide upon completion of the count, pawl means including a pawl operated by said member, and also means to hold the wheel means against retrograde movement, trip means having finger means arranged to drop into said channel means when the latter coincide, and release means rendered operative by the dropping trip means to release the pawl means from the wheel means.

3. The subject matter set forth in claim 2, wherein the pawl means includes an actuating pawl and a holding pawl overlying each other and being held on the wheel means by gravity, and the release means is actuated by gravity and provided with means adapted to lift the lower pawl and thereby also the upper pawl and raise the pawls clear from the ratchet wheel means.

4. A predetermining counting device comprising a lever oscillated with each operation to be counted, wheel means carrying channel means adapted to coincide upon completion of the predetermined count, guide fiange means associated with said channel means including gate means providing entrance to said channel means, pawl means operated by said lever to actuate the wheel means, trip means having finger means normally riding on said flange means adapted to drop thru said gate means into said channel means when the latter coincide, and means operative upon the action of said trip means to release the pawl means from the wheel means when the count is completed.

5. A predetermining counting device adapted to be mounted on a machine and comprising a lever oscillated by each machine operation to be counted, a pair of companion disks having an unequal number of teeth on their peripheral part and carrying each a channel member at one side, extending from said part toward the center and adapted to coincide when the predetermined count is reached, an operating pawl connected with and actuated by the lever and adapted to engage both sets of teeth for rotating the disks, a holding member adapted to hold both disks against retrograde movement, a swingable trip arm on a trip shaft and having trip fingers moving into said channel members when they coincide, and means held retracted by said trip arm and actuated when the fingers drop into said channel members, for lifting the pawls from the teeth as said arm descends.

6. The subject matter set forth in claim 5, and comprising means connected with the trip arm for raising it and thereby also the arm held means, and means associated with the first said means and actuated by the lever for releasing the trip arm from its raised position and place it ready for the next operation.

'7. The subject matter set forth in claim 5, and provided with a knob and link means operably connecting the knob With the trip arm for moving the arm and associated parts to the initial position, and a bar connected with the lever and actuated thereby and engaging the link means to release it from its raised holding position and render the movable elements ready for the next counting operation.

8. A predetermining counting device adapted to be mounted on a machine for counting the operations thereof and comprising an operating member actuated by each of said operations, a plurality of wheels provided with side channels adapted to coincide when the predetermined count is reached, operating means on said operating member and actuated thereby for rotating said wheels, one Wheel being turned through a complete rotation quicker than the other, cylindrioal flanges on the wheels provided with openings serving as entrances to the channels, trip means having trip elements adapted to ride on said flanges and to drop thru said openings into said channels when the latter coincide, a weight held retracted by said trip means and descending when the trip elements descend, means on the Weight to move the operating means away from the wheels as the weight descends, a knob and means connected therewith for retracting the trip means and the weight and the operating means, and means connected with and actuated by the operating member to release said retracting means at the beginning of the next counting operation.

9. A predetermining counting device adapted to be mounted on a machine and comprising a lever oscillated by each operation of the machine to be counted, a pair of disks having an unequal number of teeth on their peripheral part and having each a channel on one side which are adapted to coincide when the predetermined count is reached, one of the disks having an axle rotatably supporting the other disk thereon, pawls adapted to engage both sets of said teeth and one thereof being actuated by the lever for operating the disks together, a trip arm having trip fingers adapted to drop into said channels when the latter coincide, a member held retracted by said trip arm and actuated by gravity when the fingers drop into said channels, to lift the pawls from the teeth as said arm and member descend, a dial on the forward disk provided with two series of numbered spaces differently spaced to accord with the two sets of unequally numbered teeth, and a pair of pointers associated with the pair of disks to cooperate with the two series of numbers, to facilitate setting the device for a predetermining count.

10. A predetermining counting device adapted to be mounted on a machine and comprising a lever oscillated by each operation of the machine, a front wheel and a rear wheel, means actuated by the lever for rotating one of the wheels through a complete rotation in less time than the other, channel means carried by each wheel, extending from the periphery inwardly and adapted to coincide when the count has been completed, trip means including fingers actuated to move into said channel means when coinciding, means released by the trip means to free the lever actuated means from the wheels as the trip means and fingers are actuated, the rear wheel having a forwardly extending axle whereon the front wheel is journaled, a dial carried by the front wheel and having two scales of numbers therein which accord with the two wheels, a pointer turning with the axle for use with one of said scales, and a pointer stationary on the device for use with the other scale.

11. A counting device for counting the number of operations of a machine and comprising a front and a rear disk provided with an unequal number of teeth, operating means engaging said teeth and turning one of said disks through a complete rotation in less time than the other, a channel on a face of each disk, adapted to coincide when the count has been completed, trip means including means adapted to move into said channels when coinciding, means released by the trip means to raise the operating means from the teeth as the trip means descends, a dial on the front disk and having an inner series and an outer series of numbered spaces thereon which are differently spaced to accord with the teeth on said front and rear disks, a pointer stationary on the device for use with the outer series of numbers, and a pointer rotating with the rear disk for use with the inner series of numbers.

12. The subject matter set forth in claim 11, and wherein the series of spaces are each provided with a series of numbers progressing contra to the operative rotation of the dials, and the trip means is provided with means to lock it against descending in the channels, to adapt the device for use as an ordinary progressive counter.

13. A predetermining counting device mountable on a machine and comprising a lever oscillated with each machine operation to be counted, a plurality of wheels, a rim and a channel member carried by each wheel, and each channel member extending from an opening in the rim to a point adjacent the central part of the wheel, means actuated by the lever for rotating one wheel through a complete rotation in less time than another, trip means having finger means riding on said rims and adapted to descend thru the openings into the channel members when the latter coincide, gravity actuated means operative upon the action of said trip means to release the lever actuated means from the wheels when the count is completed, and means to retract the trip means and fingers and the gravity actuated means.

14. A counting device comprising tooth carrying means, operating means provided with pawl means for intermittently actuating and holding said means and teeth, channel means and associated guide means on said tooth carrying means, a trip lever having elements traveling on said guide means and movable into said channel means when the count is completed, means held retracted by the trip lever and actuated thereby as said elements move into said channel means means connected with the retractable means for moving the pawl means from the teeth as said count is completed, and dial means and pointer means therefor associated with the tooth carrying means to indicate the count at all stages.

ALOYSIUS S. McDONNELL. 

